Blogging Resources

What do you use?

It’s a question I get fairly often, so I decided to put this collection together for you.

I have personally used all of the resources listed below and can honestly enthusiastically recommend each and every one of them.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, so if you click on those, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you) if you make a purchase. If you do – Thank you for supporting Reboot Authentic!

Online Business Courses

Jon Morrow's Guest Blogging

I'm asked constantly what the one thing is that helped Reboot Authentic grow so quickly. My answer is always guest posting. Nothing can put you on the map faster than being seen on a major blog.

This course by Jon Morrow is second to none. It's a comprehensive, detailed, fully-supported A-to-Z detail of everything you need to know to be a prolific guest poster. Learn all the tactics, tips, and tricks from one of the most successful online personalities ever - Jon Morrow.

Click any link in this entry for a free video series from Jon about why guest blogging is so critical to your success.

Kickstart Your Blog

Kickstart Your Blog is a program that leads new bloggers step-by-step through a proven system to create and run a new blog that is destined for success.

The program is super-easy to follow, but still delivers all the know-how, tips, and tricks to ensure success. Kickstart Your Blog will teach you the insider secrets of creating a blog that stands out.

A-List Blogging Masterclass

Operated by Super-Blogger Mary Jaksch, The A-List Blogging Masterclass teaches you how to take your existing blog to the next level. Each of the Masterclass courses gives you the most pertinent, practical, yet innovative information you need to take your blog to where you always dreamed it could be. Plus there's a wonderful, supportive community in the members only forum. It's the first course I joined after starting Reboot Authentic and I'm still a member - so if you join A-List Blogging Masterclass, I'll see you there!

Audience Business Masterclass

Danny Iny’s Audience Business Masterclass is the most intensive online course I’ve been a part of to date. The course goes into great detail and depth about targeting the right market/niche, how to position yourself, content creation, product creation, how to launch explosively, and much more.

The support from Danny and his staff is excellent – and there’s a very active Facebook group to meet, converse, and strategize with other participants. Check out Audience Business Masterclass. It’s fantastic!

Write Like Freddy

Write Like Freddy is another course from Danny Iny – one of the most prolific guest posters online. When Danny first appeared on the blogging scene, he made a name for himself by guest posting. A lot. In his first year online, he wrote over 80 guest posts.

Danny created this course to teach others the lessons he learned about writing outstanding content quickly – like he did when he went on his guest posting tear. I highly recommend Write Like Freddy!

Site Design & Themes

OptimizePress

OptimizePress is what I use to make all my landing pages here on Reboot Authentic. Unless you're a designer, creating professional-looking landing pages is tough. I Googled and researched every landing page plugin, software package, and service out there.

I chose OptimizePress. It's the highest quality at the most reasonable price in my opinion. It comes as a plugin if you want to use it for just specific pages like I do (this page was created with it) - or you can use it as your WordPress theme. Your one-time purchase includes both versions. I love OptimizePress and very highly recommend it.

Hybrid Connect

Hybrid Connect is awesome! If you want one plugin that does optin forms, squeeze pages, lightboxes, slide-ins, and much more... this is it. It comes with tons of really professional looking templates that are super easy to customize. There's somuch more. Seriously - click on the picture and go watch the video. HybridConnect is a must-have plugin.

OptinSkin

I still use Optin Skin, but honestly have found myself using it less since I bought Hybrid Connect. Some of the optin forms on Reboot Authentic are still made with Optin Skin because in some cases I might prefer one of their designs or find it functionally easier to fit in a certain spot, etc. It's a matter of personal taste. I do recommend you take a look at Optin Skin. It's a viable option & is worth the cost.

StudioPress Themes

StudioPress created the Genesis Framework – which means all of their themes are functionally designed and SEO optimized. They have a large variety of attractive themes with a variety of great features.

All of them that I have used are very easy to use – and you don’t have to know anything about coding to use them. Reboot Authentic is built on a StudioPress theme. Give StudioPress themes a try.

WooThemes

I have also used WooThemes in the past. They also offer a wide variety of attractive and easy to use themes.Go visit WooThemes.

Graphics Creation

MyEcoverMaker

If you create digital products and have ever tried to make a book cover, software box, or CD cover - you know it's not easy for those of us with no graphic arts skill.

I tried several different software packages and didn't care for any of them - until I started using MyEcoverMaker. It's a free online service, so you can create as many different ecovers as you want - and you only pay for the ones you like.

Single downloads are $4.95 - or if you create a lot of covers, there's a subscription option as well. Check it out. It's easy to use, reasonably priced, and the finished product is really nice. Use MyEcovermaker now.

PhotoPos Pro Graphics Editor

Everyone knows about Adobe Photoshop, but very few are willing to spend the big bucks to get it. I personally do own Photoshop, but the truth is that probably 90% of the design you see here on reboot Authentic has been done using Photo Pos Pro.

It does great work and is easy to use. The best part is that Photo Pos Pro is completely free. There aren’ t a whole bunch of companies offering high quality software like this in a free program. So my advice: get your free copy of PhotoPos Pro before they come to their senses!

PicMonkey Online Photo Editing

You may have noticed that a lot of the images in my posts here on Reboot Authentic have cool effects and text on them. Those cool effects are all created using PicMonkey - an awesome online photo editor. They have a Royale (paid) option, but you can do almost everything for free, too. It's easy (and kind of fun) to use. Give PicMonkey a try. You'll love it.

E-Commerce Solutions

Selz.com

If you want to post digital products for sale on your website in just a few minutes, you need Selz.com. Selz is an e-commerce solution without all the hassles and technical problems of most payment & delivery systems. It’s free to sign up, the support is top-notch, and if you can cut and paste a few lines of code, you have all the technical expertise required to get rolling quickly.

My favorite feature of Selz is that unlike other services, your purchasers never leave you blog to make their purchase. It’s all done right on your site. When the purchase is complete, your visitor is right where they left off… on your site where they belong. It’s free to sign up – and it’s super easy to use. Give Selz a test drive and you’ll be hooked.

Hosting & CMS (Content Management Systems)

SiteGround Web Hosting

There are many hosts out there and I've had experience with a few of them. Of those I have used, I highly recommend the one I use here at Reboot Authentic: SiteGround. Super fast, GREAT Support, and prices as low as $3.95 per month.

WordPress.org (*not* .com)

Most bloggers (including me) prefer WordPress hands down. It’s free, reliable, and very easy to use. There are two different versions of WordPress. You want WordPress.org NOT WordPress.com.

WordPress.com makes you host on their servers on their URL – and with their rules. WordPress.org is the self-hosted version that you host on your own server, and according to your own rules. You control everything about your site and its data. WordPress.org is the only way to go.

Email Services

MailChimp

I use MailChimp for my email marketing. It is easy to use, and is the best combination of full-featured and affordable among all the email services I have researched. There's even a free version. Go visit MailChimp!

AWeber

AWeber offers a few more features than MailChimp, is friendlier toward affiliate marketing, but the extra features are reflected in the price. Still, AWeber is very highly regarded by everyone who uses it.